Sheinbaum says she rejected Trump’s offer to send troops to Mexico

WASHINGTON: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Sunday that US President Donald Trump had proposed sending US troops to Mexico to combat drug trafficking, but said she had rejected that offer because “sovereignty is not for sale.”

Sheinbaum’s comments were in response to questions about a Wall Street Journal report published on May 2 that said Trump was pressuring Mexico to allow deeper US military involvement against drug cartels to combat trafficking across the shared border.

“In one of the calls, (Trump) said, ‘How can we help you fight drug trafficking? I propose that the US Army come in to help you,’” said Sheinbaum, who was speaking at a university event near the capital on Saturday.

“And you know what I told him? No, President Trump, the territory is sacrosanct, sovereignty is sacrosanct, sovereignty is not for sale, sovereignty is loved and defended,” the president said, adding that while the two countries can collaborate, “we will never accept the presence of the United States military in our territory.”

A spokesperson for the US National Security Council (NSC) said in response to a Reuters request for comment that Trump had been “crystal clear that Mexico must do more to combat these gangs and cartels and the United States stands ready to assist and expand the already close cooperation between our two countries.”